Frequency of Delirium after Hip Fractures Surgery

Background and purpose: Delirium is a recurrent cognitive disorder which is one of the most common neurologic diagnosis in patients who have had pelvic surgeries. This complication occurs in a short time and early diagnosis results in early management. Current study was done to investigate the frequency of delirium and identifying the factors affecting its incidence in patients with pelvic surgeries. Materials and methods: This analytical study was performed in patients >60 years of age admitted in orthopedic wards in Rasht hospitals, Iran, due to pelvic surgery. The samples (n=252) were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. All patients were examined before the surgery, at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after the surgery and also before discharge in which their cognitive status and average cognitive scores were recorded. Results: We investigated 252 patients (mean age: 72.90±7.33) including 67 (26.6%) males and 185 (73.4%) females of whom 69% were married. Overall incidence of delirium was 18.3%. Significant association was found between the incidence of delirium and history of smoking, psychiatric medications (P< 0.001), and the type of anesthesia (P< 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed high prevalence of delirium in patients who have had pelvic surgery. Therefore, more focus on the factors affecting the incidence of delirium before the surgery and evaluation of patients early after the surgery could be beneficial in reducing the rate of delirium.